Lifestyle change, not diet!

AngelaKelly02

I'm sick of dieting. I'm changing my lifestyle and my eating habits permanently. I don't want some diet that's difficult to stick to (I've tried that too many times), I want to make changes that are easy to stick with such as swapping my white bread for wholemeal and butter for margarine etc. However I'm having a hard time deciding on whether or not white pasta and white rice can be a part of my new lifestyle, I know I could just choose wholegrain rice and pasta but it just doesn't taste as good.

So I need opinions/advise is white rice and pasta okay in moderation or should I just stay clear of it?

Thanks

ubermensch13

What you eat really isn't THAT important, it is more important to eat at a deficit, exercise and be patient. That being said, you don't want to live off fast food and junk either.

samantha1242

I personally enjoy the taste of whole wheat pasta so swapping it was never an issue for me. I do occasionally have white pasta as whole wheat tortellini should never have been invented IMO. I also eat jasmine rice on occasion because I am obsessed with Thai food. So, to sum up my rambling, I personally don't think you should have to eliminate them 100% if you enjoy them.

Metamelomai

On January 11, 2012, I changed my eating habits and have lost 60 pounds, just by eating healthy, no dieting! Instead of focusing on my weight, I focused on healthy eating. I still do. I avoid all white potatoes, white rice, white breads, cheese, whole milk, aspartame, diet drinks, red meats, fast foods, eating out in restaurants, dressings, saturated fat, sweets and junk food. I also took up juicing. I'm loving it! Sure works for me. I only eat seeded rye bread, fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, fish, chicken, or turkey, water, tea, coffee, or light Almond milk or light soy milk. And now I use MYFITNESS PAL which is sooooooo AWESOME! I love that it tracks my carbs, protein, calcium, sugars, etc. Wish I had been introduced to it a long time ago! Good luck with your endeavors! I wish you as much success! And you're so right, DIETS DO NOT WORK! They're temporary and you usually gain back all you lost plus more; at least that was my experience over the years. And when I started focusing on my health and healthy eating and forgot about my weight, bam.... there it went! I haven't reached goal but I'm closer than I have been in 16 years... And that time, I had joined a weight loss program and ended up in the hospital with protein malnutrition. Eating for the health of it is the only way to go. My physician is following my progress and checking my labs periodically to make sure I don't experience any adverse effects like that again. If I had MYFITNESS PAL BACK THEN, I'D HAVE KNOWN I WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN!

Playingwithfire89

You can still eat pretty much EVERYTHING you love, just less of it. So if you normally have 2 cups of white pasta, eat 1 and 1/2 instead. Instead of a whole cupcake, eat just half. Get rid of things you could do without, (like soda or juice.) and eat your favorite treats in moderation (Just so you know, whole wheat pasta is only around 10/20 calories less a serving, so its worth it to get the kind you like. Just eat a LITTLE less.)
I would focus on adding foods to your diet. Try to have at least 1 fruit/veggie at every meal, and always snack on fresh fruits/veggies. Also DRINK MORE WATER!!! Always be aware of the labels on what your eating, and make EASY swaps. Some swaps you might not mind r........
ICE (flavored sparkling water) instead of soda or juice
Dark chocolate instead of light
Tea instead of coffee (or black coffee)
No cheese on sandwiches.
Open faced sandwiches
30 min walking everyday instead of checking Facebook (just check it on ur phone while walking.)
Eating eggs for breakfast instead of sugary cerial/pastries/starbucks (cottage cheese works too.)
I eat loads of crap and still loose weight! You just have to pick and choose where to sacrifice and where to indulge

Firefox7275

I find some wholegrain pasta shapes are like cardboard and others are not - lasagne sheets are no different to white and I have had some great organic tortiglioni, not so keen on brown spaghetti. I hated brown rice as a child so it was a revelation the first time I had brown basmati cooked properly, steamed not boiled for long enough so it wasn't chewy or watery. Basmati rice has more fragrance and flavour than long grain, and is gentler on the blood sugar too.
http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/rice-and-pasta/how-to-cook-perfect-rice.html

Whether you should have white rice and pasta depends how often and what serving size but more importantly where else in your diet you are getting minerals and fibre. If you are eating a ton of beans lentils, nuts and seeds the odd serving of white rice or pasta is not an issue. Pasta actually works well with chick peas (garbanzo beans) and rice with other beans and lentils and both work well with nuts and seeds, so you could have a compromise of half whole carbs and half refined in some dishes?

Duck_Puddle

I have white rice almost every night with dinner. I also have white pasta (not in the same meal where I have rice). I also eat potatoes and white bread and probably every other "evil" food that exists. As long as you eat at a calorie deficit, you'll lose weight. If you chose veggies and fruit and lean meats, you'll be healthier, get more nutrients, and you'll be able to eat a greater volume of food. You don't have to give anything up-just fit it into your diet (eat less of it, eat it less often, exercise more, etc.). You can lose weight (and lots of it based on my experience) eating "white" things.

Metamelomai

True... However, my FOCUS is not on losing weight, but on BEING HEALTHY! The weight loss was a positive side effect of healthy eating.... I choose to not eat the white stuff for my health reasons. My blood sugar went from the 300s down to normal (80s-90s) and my cholesterol levels all improved (all excellent now per my MD). I needed to lose weight and am glad that I am losing; however, my main focus is to eat only the healthiest of foods for my body. I admire those who can eat all that white stuff and control it; however, they were my weaknesses before I gave them up. I have no desire to eat them any more and they don't even taste good to me after a year of doing without them.
For those who are interested in learning more about the foods we eat and the effects on our bodies, the book, 'Blood Sugar Solutions' by Dr. Mark Hyman, is a very informational book. Good book for everyone, not just diabetics. I read it and have given copies of it for gifts and watched those who read it, transform their lives by changing their eating habits. Interesting book. Regardless of your chosen plan, I wish for you much success!

PollyJags

There is a spagetti/noodles pkg called "smart". Nutritious and great tasting white pasta with the fibre benefit of whole wheat. A healthy choice for kid-friendly meals.

AmyRhubarb

butter for margarine

:noway:
Natural butter is better! Just don't eat it by the stick. :laugh:

I agree with what so many have already said - you don't have to cut out white rice, pasta, butter, etc.

I still eat bread, pasta, white rice, pizza, burgers, drink alcohol, enjoy butter, desserts, etc - it all fits in my calories! I know my BMR and my TDEE, and aim for a 15% deficit from that TDEE, but if I go over once in awhile, as long as I stay under that TDEE (total daily energy expenditure in case you're wondering), I'll still lose weight.

I found this topic to be VERY helpful in setting my goals: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

I've been following it for over six months, and I'm losing fat and inches while eating 1800+ calories a day. I'm with you - this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. The one and only thing I've given up completely is soda, and I actually dumped it a long time ago. The way I'm eating now allows me to enjoy life and still lose the fat. It's sustainable, it's easy, and its for good - no way I'm going back to my old ways!